Burning Bridges
by Jen Rock
Summary: Upset over Rictor's departure, Shatterstar is helped by an unexpected source.


Title: Burning Bridges  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Marvel even though they don't seem to know what to do with them.  
  
Rating: G.  
  
Spoilers: This takes place roughly between X-Force #47 and 48.  
  
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At 8:30 am, Shatterstar walked into the empty kitchen glad that the rest of X-Force were such late sleepers when they didn't have training sessions to awake for. It was such a human weakness to waste so many hours sleeping when one could be training or enjoying early-morning television. He was also glad not to have to deal with anyone else right now due to the irritation he'd felt for the past few days.  
  
It had been five days since he'd been shot at the airport. His wounds had healed in a little over a day thanks to his restorative abilities but Doctor McCoy had insisted on keeping him in the infirmary for three days doing all sorts of confusing and unnecessary tests until he thought he'd go crazy with the inactivity. Even now, after being released he was barred from training and forbidden to use the Danger Room until the doctor cleared him. That would be today as McCoy got final results for some of the tests but it seemed like forever. He'd tried to do some simple exercise maneuvers in the privacy of his room but the lack of space had hampered his movements and then a passing Cable had caught him at it and given him another lecture which he'd endured stoically.  
  
Opening the cupboard, he found only two near-empty boxes of cereal. It was Roberto's turn to go shopping this week but he would likely keep putting it off until physically threatened by Domino. He choose the box of "Choco-Bombs," needing the brief sugar rush as a distraction and fixed himself a bowl. The almost sickeningly-sweet taste of the cereal as he ate it helped him focus on something besides the events of the past few days. Getting shot had probably been the least important thing to happen this week. Julio's departure was still painful to contemplate and his "captivity" in the lab had given him plenty of time to think about it.   
  
Without Julio, he felt alone, something he had been accustomed to on Mojoworld and the beginning of his stay here on Earth. Julio had been someone who actually wanted to spend time with him and didn't ignore him as most of X-Force did, someone he could discuss the finer merits of television with, someone who actually tried to explain things to him instead of just assuming he'd pick up the meaning from some show.   
  
After knowing what it was like to have a friend, he found he didn't want to go back to being alone but he wasn't sure what to do about it. Should he attempt to  
  
interact more closely with his teammates? Most of the time he was merely a "tagalong" on their outings, when he went at all. Perhaps that was why Rictor and he had become friends. Julio had felt a little out of place as well.  
  
It was 9:15 before he finally got some company. He barely glanced up from his second bowl of cereal as Terry and Tabitha wandered in, yawning and looking like they hadn't got much sleep. They'd had a training session last night, which he'd been required to observe even though he couldn't participate. That had only increased his irritation and he merely nodded in acknowledgment of their presence rather than greeting them verbally. Terry didn't seem to notice but Tabitha   
  
stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him.  
  
"Star?! Did you just eat all of my Choco-Bombs? You know I need my sugar in the morning."  
  
He regarded her calmly. "I was not aware they were YOUR Choco-Bombs. I was under the impression they were bought for general consumption. And perhaps you should have gotten up earlier to avoid my finishing them."  
  
She stared at him for a moment before rolling her eyes.  
  
"Never mind. I'll find something else."  
  
"There's still some 'Bran Flakes,' if'n you really want cereal, Boomer." Theresa offered, earning her a dirty look. As more X-Forcers stumbled in, Shatterstar felt the need to leave. He had never minded the chaos that was breakfast with his teammates before but right now, he didn't feel like being around them. Even with all of them there, he still felt alone. No one seemed to notice when he left except Cable who gave him a look of concern but said nothing.   
  
As he headed back to his room, he nodded briefly to various members of the X-Men as they passed him in the hallways. The X-Forcers had their own kitchen in the east wing but their rooms were closer to the main section of the mansion so he had to pass them on his way back. Most of them didn't even notice except Logan who gave him a quick grin and Psylocke who stared at him oddly, probably sensing his inner turmoil. He was beginning to understand why Rictor didn't like telepaths.  
  
He had to move aside to avoid being hit as Iceman was chased by a fuming Rogue who yelled something about a lack of hot water and then turned a corner to come face-to-face with the one X-Man he hadn't wanted to see. Dr. McCoy looked delighted to see him and Shatterstar quickly schooled his face not to show his displeasure with the doctor and his incessant questions.  
  
"Ah, just the person I was looking for. I'd like you to stop by my lab in two hours so I can go over the test result. Will that be a problem?"  
  
"No Doctor. I have no plans for today. I will be there in two hours." He suppressed a sigh. What was he supposed to do for two hours while he waited?  
  
"Splendid. See you then." McCoy hurried off and he continued on to his room. He was almost there when an unoccupied room caught his eye. It was a small room with a computer terminal. There were several similar rooms in the mansion but they were often occupied. He walked in, sat down and called up the list of games.   
  
Forty-five minutes later, he had beaten the computer at chess on the "expert" level in five straight games. It wasn't the same as playing against Prosh and he knew he couldn't spend another hour-and-fifteen minutes winning at chess. It was far too easy. Perhaps he should try a different game.  
  
A few times while he'd been playing, people had walked by but he didn't turn his head to look. He could usually tell who it was by the length and force of the stride and no one stopped or said anything to him. Now, as he contemplated the screen he heard the smooth hum of Professor Xavier's hoverchair. The noise came abreast of the doorway and paused. Shatterstar waited for him to move on but instead the professor came forward into the room. Star cursed inwardly and turned to face him. Xavier regarded him with a faint smile.  
  
"Yes? If you require the use of the computer, I can leave."  
  
"Actually, I wanted to ask you something. Cable mentioned to me that you play chess." Xavier inclined his head towards the screen which still read 'Checkmate  
  
by Star.' "I've been without a regular chess partner since Forge left. I was wondering if you'd be interested in playing a game with me."  
  
He was startled. That was not what he'd expected to hear. It was always preferable to play against a live opponent than a machine but could there be an ulterior motive? He'd barely had any interaction with Xavier before. Surely there were others he could ask. Or maybe this was a chance to "lighten up," as Rictor had suggested.  
  
"It is an intriguing offer but how can I be sure you will not use your powers during the game?" Xavier looked surprised and then amused.  
  
"I assure you that I would never use my powers in such a manner. And I believe that you have some free time right now before your appointment with Hank." Star grimaced but he'd learned quickly that everyone knew most of what went on in the mansion. Privacy was not easy when sharing living space with so many other people and certainly Xavier, of all of them, would know what was going on. He considered for a moment before nodding curtly.  
  
"Very well. I believe I have time for a game." He followed the Professor back to his room where a chess board was already set up. The room was quite large and comfortably furnished. By force of habit he noted all means of entering and exiting the room as well as the placement of furnishings that might act as obstacles or shields in a fight. It never hurt to be aware of one's surroundings.  
  
He let Xavier play white, allowing him to go first in order to give him as much advantage as possible. The telepath would need it in order to have a chance to win against him assuming he was telling the truth about not using his powers. Humans would probably see his attitude as arrogant but he simply knew how skilled he was and saw no need for any pretense at modesty. It was folly to pretend to be less than what one was.  
  
Five moves into the game, he could tell Xavier was a formidable player. This was actually challenging. He studied the board carefully, contemplating his next move and was aware of Xavier's scrutiny of him. He suspected that there HAD been another reason for this invitation. Making his decision, he moved his rook into a position that would allow him to checkmate Xavier's king in three moves unless his opponent sacrificed his queen.  
  
"You know, Forge tried that same move on me in our first game. It didn't work for him either."  
  
Xavier smiled and sacrificed his queen without hesitation. "I miss our games together but I know his leaving the mansion was a necessary action for him."  
  
Shatterstar stopped studying the board and looked up at Xavier with narrowed eyes. He was not stupid and he could see the implications behind what Xavier had said.  
  
He'd been upset when Julio's differences of opinions with Cable had caused him to leave. Everyone acted like he should just accept it and move on. When Sam had left for the X-Men, no one had told Tabitha to move on. Granted Sam and Tabitha were still living under the same roof but that might not last long the way X-Force went through residences and their relationship had been changed by the move.   
  
Julio was his friend. His departure had an impact on Star because his presence had had an impact. He'd changed since his arrival on Earth a mere two years ago. Before he'd been aloof, arrogant, and interested in nothing but training and television. Some would say he was still arrogant but his aloofness had been tempered by his interactions with his teammates, especially Julio.   
  
A month after his arrival he never would have been sitting here playing chess, or even considered going out to a club, or been able to relax with his teammates. He would have considered it a waste of time. But he'd found that even experiences that didn't turn out well like the embarrassing incident at the nightclub helped teach him things about himself he wouldn't have known otherwise. Still, he did not want to be lectured about how he should feel. It was irritating enough from Cable. He didn't need advice from someone he barely even knew.   
  
"Did Cable ask you to speak with me? I assure you, I do not need psychoanalyzing." Xavier merely lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"Cable didn't need to ask me. It's quite obvious even without reading your thoughts that you were upset by Rictor's decision to leave. I thought you might like to talk about it."  
  
"So this game was a pretense to get me to talk? If you know how I am feeling you should also know I do not want to talk about it. Julio had his reasons and I must respect his wishes. My feelings on the matter are irrelevant."  
  
"The game was not a pretense. I was looking for someone to play against but if you think I lied to you then I'm sorry. I hoped this game would give us an opportunity to talk but if you don't want to, then we should just finish the game. Unless you don't feel up to it?" He considered this but he had never quit a challenge before and he wasn't about to do so now.  
  
"What? And allow you to win by default? You won't achieve victory that easily." Xavier looked startled and then smiled again as Star settled back into the game and made his move. He had told Xavier he didn't want to talk about his feelings but he realized some small part of him felt differently. Julio would have told him to speak up. Throughout the game, he considered what to do even as he payed attention to Xavier's moves.   
  
They went back and forth and the game lasted nearly an hour before Star finally managed to win although barely. Xavier congratulated him on the win and on a good game as 'Star got to his feet. A quick glance at the clock showed that he had fifteen minutes until his appointment with Dr. McCoy. Indecision was not a common trait with him and he choose to speak up.  
  
"May I ask you a question?" Xavier didn't look surprised and nodded.  
  
"Certainly." He hesitated over how to correctly phrase the question and then simply went ahead and asked it.  
  
"You spoke of Forge's departure being necessary for him. I am unaware of his current activities. I...wish to know if you think events worked out well for him because of his decision." Xavier considered the question.  
  
"I think that it was a difficult decision for him and certainly I can't say for sure if he would make the same choice given it to do over but in the long run, I would say yes. Events have been working out for him lately. He's leading X-Factor and he's made a new life for himself. Does that answer your question?" Star nodded. "You'd better get going, Shatterstar. Hank can be grumpy when patients are late."  
  
"Thank you for the game." Star said and walked out of the room heading for the med-lab. He wasn't sure why the Professor's reply had made him feel better. He just knew it had. He still missed Julio but somehow he felt he could cope with his friend's absence a little better. Maybe he'd even ask his teammates if they wanted to go to the movies some time. Not-quite smiling to himself, he entered the med-lab and shut the door behind him.  
  
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Questions? Comments? Puzzled looks? They're all welcome.   
  
Jennifer 


End file.
